Chances are every tourist in Seoul has heard of Myeongdong Kyoja (Naver Maps, Google Maps). It may even be the most well-known restaurant in South Korea that’s not a chain store.
Because of their fame, it might be tempting to assume that they’re a tourist trap, selling mediocre and over-priced food to unsuspecting foreigners.
Before you jump to that conclusion, consider the >10,600 reviews on Google Maps giving them an average rating of 4.2⭐/5. Don’t trust Google reviews? Well, then let’s look at Naver Maps, where >12,400 reviews award them an even higher 4.42⭐/5.
But as always, taste is subjective, and the best way to know for sure is to try the food yourself. We had a meal there during our very first trip to Seoul in 2016. Since then, we’ve made it a point to return every time we’re back in the city.
The menu is short and sweet, featuring only three regular items — Kalguksu, Mandu and Bibimguksu. Plus a seasonal Kongguksu that’s only available during the warmer months of late spring to early autumn.
Their kalguksu is what brings us back, time after time.
The ingredients are simple, comprising only noodles, broth, minced meat, mini wantons, zucchini and leeks. And yet somehow, they’ve managed to make the combination absolutely addictive.
If there’s one thing that makes the dish magical, it’s the thick and unctuous broth. Chicken soup is supposed to be clean and light, ideal food for nursing a sore throat or alleviating indigestion.
However, Myeongdong Kyoja chose to head in the completely opposite direction. Brewing stock that’s rich, oily and a full-on flavour bomb. If they took it any further, it would have ended up as tonkotsu-style ramen broth.
For the pork-filled mandu, they went with a lighter touch. Compared to the kalguksu, the dumplings almost seemed too bland, even after dipping them in soy sauce.
Which is why my preferred way of eating them is to split each piece in half, piling on as much kimchi as possible. The sharp and spicy fermented cabbage is a perfect accompaniment, adding a welcome burst of excitement in every bite.
On its own, the infinitely refillable kimchi is potent. It’s easily the spiciest that I’ve had so far in Seoul. There’s an almost kerosene-like note to its flavour, which adds to its allure.
It may sound strange, but it’s the best kimchi I’ve ever had.
Every time I wipe out my plate, I simply wave over one of the omnipresent ajummas unnies, politely request for “kimchi, juseyo!” and a heaping mound magically appears.
On our most recent visit, instead of sticking to just our kalguksu and mandu combo, I decided to diversify with an additional bowl of bibimguksu.
Thick, goopy red sauce was generously spooned on top of the noodles, together with finely julienned cucumber. It looked fiery, but the spice level was surprisingly mild.
After mixing everything into a beautiful mess and taking in a big mouthful, the first thing that hit me was a pleasant nuttiness, followed by deep umami. The noodles were firm and chewy, releasing flavour with every bite.
Somehow, the flavour reminded me of Singaporean rojak sauce, but without the prawn paste. I always find it intriguing when familiar flavours pop up unexpectedly in foreign countries.
The bibimguksu immediately overtook the kalguksu, and became my new favourite dish at Myeongdong Kyoja.
Which made us very curious about their soy milk-based kongguksu (₩12,000), a dish which we had yet to try in Korea or Singapore. It was available, but we wouldn’t have survived another bowl.
The next time we’re in Seoul, we know that we’ll back there again. And when we return, we know exactly what we’ll be ordering.
Seoul Spring 2023
Trip planning: Hansik, sijang and hanok (Seoul Spring 2023)
Our flights are booked, hotel rooms are reserved and all that’s left is to count down to the day that we finally take to the skies again.
Up in the air again with Singapore Airlines in Business class
For our very first post-pandemic flight, we redeemed 208,000 KrisFlyer miles for a pair of Business class return tickets to Seoul.
Ryse Hotel is right in the heart of bustling Hongdae
During our previous trips to Seoul, we stayed in Myeongdong, Dongdaemun and City Hall. This time, I decided to try a new neighbourhood in the Western part of Seoul.
Comforting pork soup at Donsubaek for our first meal in Seoul
After a six plus hour flight and faced with an unexpected drop in temperature, a piping hot bowl of pork soup really hit the spot.
Masan Seafood and their ugly delicious agujjim
Monkfish may possibly be the ugliest fish in the world, but it also happens to be one of the most delicious.
A relaxing afternoon interlude at Tteuran Teahouse in Ikseondong
As you step through the heavy wooden doors, you can’t help but feel a sense of serenity sweep over your entire body.
For jeongmal delizioso Korean fusion food, head to Banjoo Iksun
Beautifully browned potato dumplings and generous chunks of smoky bacon floated on a pool of vibrantly green perilla leaf cream.
Traditional Korean rice cakes and pour over coffee for breakfast
Rice is a staple in many Asian countries. Besides being the main source of carbohydrates, it’s also used to make different types of sweets.
Lotus Lantern Festival at Gwanghwamun Square
The lantern displays were just one component of the week-long festival leading up to the Buddha’s birthday celebration, a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Baek Nyeon Baekse just took the top spot in our samgyetang shortlist
Samgyetang, or ginseng chicken soup, is easily one of our favourite Korean dishes. It’s great on cold, rainy days and even better when we’re feeling under the weather.
When Korean executives need a quick meal, Hanilkwan is where they go
Bibimbap is a dish that requires audience participation, and it’s always fun to mix all the ingredients into a beautiful mess.
Strawberry tea and desserts at bright and breezy Mil Toast
The Wife went with a hot Strawberry Tea, not knowing exactly what to expect but confident that it was a good choice. South Korea was, after all, famous for their high quality strawberries.
Watching the Lotus Lantern Parade from our seats at Jongno 3-ga
You know that an event is a huge deal when a 3km stretch of road, right in the heart of a major city, is shut down for several hours on a busy Saturday night.
Bus ride to Mangwon Market for our Korean street food fix
Dessert was in the form of spicy eomuk skewers, from the very first stall we saw when entering the market. Just look at that fiery and luscious sauce!
The hanjeongsik at Hangaram was easily our best meal in Seoul
Despite being mentally prepared for the large number of incoming items, when the food started arriving, we were hopelessly overwhelmed by the non-stop cascade of dishes.
Mall hopping at The Hyundai Seoul and Starfield Coex
Given a choice between hiking up a mountain or wandering around an airconditioned mall, I choose the latter. Any time of the day, any day of the week, any week of the year.
Jeon and makgeolli at John Makgeolliano in Yeonnamdong
One mission of our recent vacation in Seoul was to drink as much makgeolli as possible. And since jeon is the perfect accompaniment to makgeolli, we found an interesting place to have both.
Wandering the jinjja yeppeuda alleys of Ikseondong Hanok Village
Of all the neighbourhoods we’ve been to in Seoul, Ikseondong is the prettiest by far. Here are five memorable places that we visited.
From now on, Novotel Dongdaemun is where we’ll stay in Seoul
Five months before check-in, I booked a 53sqm Residence Deluxe Room on a fully flexible rate. Our four night stay in May had an average daily rate of ₩256,000.
The Wife walked into Pleats Mama and almost didn’t make it out
I could tell that she was very pleased with her purchases, and I was pleased that she was pleased.
The complete Hanwoo K-BBQ experience at Majang Meat Market
Our 422g platter with four different cuts of Grade 1++(9) Korean beef cost ₩71,000 at the butcher’s shop. The total bill after adding the table charge, drinks and transport came up to only ₩89,800.
Buying African beans from Blue Bottle Coffee in Samcheongdong
A wide selection was on display, together with their origins, tasting notes and prices. They were sold in unusually large 300gm bags, with blends going for ₩25,000 and single-origins for ₩35,000.
Our very first taste of ganjang gejang, courtesy of Keun Giwajip
I found out the hard way that ganjang gejang is an acquired taste. One that, unfortunately, I wasn’t able to acquire.
Strolling down Gyeongdong Market for a truly local sijang experience
One thing we like to do when visiting a foreign city is to explore grocery stores and traditional markets. It gives us a chance to glimpse into the lives of people going about their day-to-day activities.
The tragic fate of the jjukkumi at Najeongsun Halmae
Somewhere in the Yongdu-dong neighbourhood, within the Dongdaemun-gu district, a brass octopus stands at attention, solemnly saluting all who walk past.
Jeolla-do grilled eel two ways at Songgang Freshwater Eel
In South Korea, jang-eo (장어) is considered a health food that boosts energy, and is especially popular during the hot summer months.
Shopping for souvenirs at Emart Cheonggyecheon
Grocery shopping is probably not on the minds of most tourists. But coming from a non-agricultural country like Singapore, the opportunity to bring home fresh, tasty and cheap produce was simply too good to miss.
Last minute dash for Goraesa Eomuk just before boarding our flight
The Wife had a look in her eyes that hinted that she was thinking about buying one of everything. But she managed to restrain her impulses and only picked out three pieces.
Our 10 day Seoul itinerary and how much we spent
We spent a total of ₩5,450,000 for our entire trip. Here’s the cost breakdown by flight, hotel, food & drink, shopping, transport and other travel-related expenses.
And just like that, The Wife turned into a kkaennip addict
I can still remember the precise moment that it happened. We were having dinner at Hanilkwan and one of our banchan was a simple salad of shredded cabbage and kkaennip, tossed in a light vinaigrette.
StarHub Giga data roaming works like a charm
We used gigaRoam in Seoul and had no issues with mobile data access throughout our entire trip. It was easy to buy, seamless to activate and convenient to extend, making it the default choice for our future travels.
Lotte Mart Seoul Station is a Korean snack food paradise
Our extensive haul only lasted us a few weeks. We could have stretched it out a bit longer, but when faced with a convenient stockpile of addictive Korean snacks, the first thing that goes out the window is self-control.
